ERP, ITRC & UKWRIP Workshop: Energy & Water Interdependencies

In December 2014, a workshop relating to the ERP project work Resource Use Strategies was held in collaboration with the Infrastructure Transitions Research Consortium & the UK Water Research & Innovation Partnership. The workshop had the primary objectives to:

  • Better define interdependencies;
  • Identify their implications for current and future energy & water infrastructure investment, management, design and implementation;
  •  Identify sources and patterns of interdependent disruptions or failures and discuss ways of preventing them;
  • Agree on possible governance tools – platforms, mechanisms and communities to facilitate closer cooperation between the two sectors.

Presentations and audio recordings relating to the workshop event can be found in the links below. A full workshop report has now been published and can be found here.


ITRC-UKWRIP-ERP Energy and Water Interdependencies Workshop #UKEW
 Programme

Session 1: What is infrastructure interdependence and why it matters?

10:00 – 10:10      Overview of interdependence – Jim Hall, ITRC-University of Oxford & Audio Recording

10:10 – 10:20      Role of Interdependence – David Penhallurick, Infrastructure UK-HM Treasury & Audio Recording

10:20 – 10:30      Interdependency – A regulators perspective – Stephen Beel, Ofgem & Audio Recording

Session 2: Interdependencies between the water and the energy sectors – models, tools & case studies

10:40 – 10:50      Academia: Cooling water use in a low carbon and water-constrained future – Ed Byers, ITRC- Newcastle University & Audio Recording

10:50 – 11:00      Industry:  Water demand for the electricity sector – Key Concerns and Priorities for Action – Neil Edwards, RWE Generation UK & Audio Recording

11:00 – 11:10      Academia: Interdependence in energy demand and strategic planning – Nick Eyre ITRC- University of Oxford & Audio Recording

11:10 – 11:20      Industry: Obvious and less obvious interdependencies between water and energy both today and the future – Keith Colquhoun, Thames Water & Audio Recording

11:20 – 11:30      Q&A (Audio Recording)

Session 3: Interdependent failure & its consequences: critical hotspots analysis – models, tools & case studies

11:50 – 12:00      Academia: Interdependence in electricity transmission and distribution and Vulnerability Hotspot Analysis – Scott Thacker, ITRC-Oxford University & Audio Recording

12:00 – 12:10      Academia:  The costs of interdependent failure – Scott Kelly, ITRC-Cambridge University & Audio Recording

12:10 – 12:20      Industry: Development and implementation of ETR138 – Damien Culley, National Grid & Audio Recording

12:20 – 12:30      Q&A (Audio Recording)

Session 4: Governance and Regulation – interdependency planning, management framework & case studies

12:30 – 12:40      Regulator: Case for Change and water demand by the energy sector – Amanda Turner, Environment Agency & Audio Recording

12:40 – 12:50      Academia: A Systems Approach to Creating Value from Engineering Interdependency – Ges Rosenberg, ICIF- Bristol University & Audio Recording

12:50 – 13:00      Academia: The role of local authorities and communities in governing infrastructure interdependencies – Katy Roelich, Leeds University & Audio Recording

13:00 – 13:10      Academia: Lessons from alternative governance approaches: looking beyond integrating from the top down – Rali Hiteva, ITRC-Sussex University & Audio Recording

13:10 – 13:20      Academia:  Governing interdependencies between infrastructures – Jim Watson, ITRC-UKERC & Audio Recording

13:20 – 13:30      Q&A (Audio Recording)

Afternoon Session: facilitated discussion chaired by Jim Watson

14.15 – 14.45   Part 1 assessed the current status of interdependencies between the water and energy sectors. Key themes:

  • Areas of interdependencies
  • Impacts of interdependencies – risks and opportunities
  • Existing policies addressing interdependencies
  • Other initiatives addressing interdependencies

14.45 – 15.25   Part 2 aimed to capture the perceived barriers and facilitators to inform the management of interdependencies. The following categories were suggested:

  • Physical
  • Geographical
  • Cyber
  • Organisational
  • Regulatory

15.25 – 15.50   Part 3 focused on gathering suggestions for possible initiatives required to plan and prepare for better management of infrastructure interdependencies in the future. 

Suggested themes:

  • Partnerships  (between any social segments, government agencies, NGOs, industry representative bodies, advisory committees, new bodies, regulators, academia, etc)
  • Lines of research
  • Reform (i.e. reformed regulatory arrangements, demand-side measures etc.),
  • Technologies
  • Others

16.05 – 16.45   Part 4 – Jim Watson presented a summary of the generated output, followed by an open panel discussion (Audio Recording)

16.45                      Close